Tasting wine is fun!

The best way to figure out which wines you love is to taste as many as possible. But, that can take a long time and be risky or expensive.One of the fastest ways to learn more and taste as many wines as possible is to attend public tasting events. You can also organise a private wine tasting for friends and family for parties, weddings or corporate events. A private Purple Teeth Wine Tasting Party is a great way to have fun and learn more about wine. Visit our Tasting Event page to find out more...

How to find wine tasting events near you...

Wine tasting events range from free to extremely expensive. Bear in mind that if the event is free, there may well be more of an expectation that you will buy some of the wines you've tasted. For some of the more expensive events, ticket prices can often be redeemed against a purchase.

Local wine stores often run specialist tasting events to showcase their new arrivals. Why not visit your local wine dealer and get on their mailing list?

Big chains such as Majestic also offer "open to the public" tastings from time to time, again, often focussing on seasonal favourites or offers. Many other wine retailers provide a similar service.

Remember that there are many vineyards in the UK. While these are predominantly in the South, it's worth looking at what may be available in the way of visits should you be travelling around the UK. A list of vineyards in England can be found here. Of course, you'll be tasting English wine, rather than anything else, but you may surprise yourself. My personal favourite is Bacchus - a grape variety that is younger than I am, with a strong and distinctive aromatic flavour. At a tasting even I hosted recently, featuring 12 wines from 12 countries, many guests voted the Chapel Down Bacchus as the one they were most likely to buy again.

If you're in London, remember Vinopolis. It's a great way to get introduced to the theory of tasting and taste a number of unusual wines from around the world.

The wine press also run tasting events open to the public. For example Decanter magazine run wine events running through the year

Perhaps the most prestigious wine tasting event I've ever attended, was the "Weekend des Grands Crus de Bordeaux". This happens every year in mid-May and if Bordeaux wines are among your favourites, it's worth making a holiday out of. You'll get to taste literally hundreds of premium wines from 2 vintages in an environment that's relaxed and much more accessible than any other way of exploring the wines of Bordeaux in the region. Don't expect to be able to turn up to a Chateau in Bordeaux like you can a wine estate in Napa. That's a mistake I won't repeat again in a hurry... Wine tasting dinners at some top chateaux can also be organised during that weekend and, if your liver can handle it after a long day of tasting, I'd recommend this as a way to meet wine makers, socialise with other oenophiles, and taste yet more amazing wines.

Once you understand more about the wines you love, it's also possible to organise holidays to many of the scenic wine regions of the world, and visit vineyards directly. Meanwhile, you'll find tons of inspiration in your local supermarket. Many stores operate regular discounts and while 25% off gives you the chance to try something you might not otherwise buy, it's not always a guarantee that the wine is worth the original price to you. If you're really unsure, I find the Decanter "medals" and awards indicated by stickers on the wine can be a guide to something worth trying. You'll also find a growing list of wine reviews in my blog. Cheers!